Lately considering picking up a new or used bench top drill press to feed my tool buying addiction, and to drill holes in stuff. I appreciate the good reviews and info a lot of you Lumberjocks have posted on all kinds of tools, but usually when I buy things I first like to rule out specific makes and models first, then drill down to 2-3 models to choose from. For used I’ll consider something 10 years old or newer, assuming well maintained. Obviously I loathe the thought of being disappointed by and incurring wasted time and money dealing with a lesser-than-great product, especially being a tool costing $100+.

So, in the category of bench top drill presses, in your opinion, which one(s) where you not impressed with, had quality issues, sloppy controls/adjustability or poor customer service (under warranty) or had decidedly less features than others within the same price range. I can see how drill presses should be generally well made, but they do have motors, chucks, lasers, alignment setups, etc., that can’t all be perfect. I guess recommended models are welcome too. Thanks in advance for your feedback. Cheers, guys.

-- Perfection is the difference between too much and not enough.

30 replies so far

i’ve a ryobi 12” benchtop that is adequate but by no means special or above average. it only cost me $40 on clearance and sometimes i wish i still had the ryobi 10” that preceded it or the c-man 8” which preceded the 10”. it’s not a terrible DP, it’s just not anything that i’d pay retail for. i’d imagine a delta would be better. maybe when i drive to my parents home in fla., i’ll bring back dad’s old split head delta bench top and CL the ryobi 12”.

-- there's a solution to every problem.......you just have to be willing to find it.

Any particular reason to eliminate older or vintage drill presses from consideration? My Craigslist is full of decent Taiwan benchtop drill presses from the ‘70s and ‘80s that are inexpensive and well built. And then the occasional Delta, Craftsman 150, or Walker Turner vintage model for about the same price. All of these are beefy, cast iron presses that are fairly simple to maintain. Compared to a new Ryobi or Porter Cable drill press, they’re better built, heavier, and typically have a better motor.

I still use my 1993 Craftsman 1/3hp 8” DP (*bought it new), and the only complaint I have is that I wish I had a bigger one. Oh, the chuck key is about worn out so I have to be careful how I use it, but it too still works…

Any particular reason to eliminate older or vintage drill presses from consideration? My Craigslist is full of decent Taiwan benchtop drill presses from the ‘70s and ‘80s that are inexpensive and well built. And then the occasional Delta, Craftsman 150, or Walker Turner vintage model for about the same price. All of these are beefy, cast iron presses that are fairly simple to maintain. Compared to a new Ryobi or Porter Cable drill press, they’re better built, heavier, and typically have a better motor.

Mate last week I picked up a 10” CM DP for $50 on kijij. It was an hour drive to Wasega beach but it was only $20 in gas and a nice drive. Buddy was asking $75 I offered $50 cause of the gas and immediate p/u. I have to say i was hesitant, I had been searching Kijiji and CL for a solid 2 weeks and nothing decent under $100.So I picked it up, brought it home, set her up. There was rust on the beds, but just surface rust, quick hit with the R/O and 220 grit and sparkling. The rest of the machine is totally mint. Moral of the story is, be patient and vigilant. As for the drill, I had a month worth of projects backed up and its been running hot since I got it, no it’s not the craziest DP you can get, however it’s my first DP and for $50 it will let me figure out what it is I need in a Drill press that i will pay several hundred for, only thing I would say is don’t go smaller then 10”, 12” is preferable, 8” is a joke.

Why are ya so hooked on bench tools?A good,old floor model can be had for the same $ if ya have the room.I bought a C’man from the ‘50s (KingSeely) for about $150.00. They are out there if ya wanna search.Bill

My first DP was a small 8” Griz. It was under powered, and vibrated more than I liked. I think it’s more a matter of the size than a quality issue. My current DP is a 13” benchtop HF 38142 that I like much better.

-- Happiness is like wetting your pants...everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth....

I noticed that to, when I was price checking CM tools, seems there new models are all very under powered. Like you said the current 12” is only 4.8amps mine is a 10” with 6amps. So my thinking is if your buying CM buy an older model.

I guess I will consider older drill presses as well, depending on what I can find – a lot of older quality is standing the test of time as some of you are saying. I’m looking (short-term?) for a bench top model since it will get infrequent use (I think), and I have very limited floor space, and small budget allocated. Although I’ve trained myself over the years to use a variable speed corded drill to drill holes very straight and fast, perhaps I am underestimating how much I will end up switching more of my drilling over to a drill press?

I didn’t read the whole thread, but quite simply, the best deal on a drill press bar none is the pc 15” at Lowe’s. Get a mover’s coupon, or try to find a local lowe’s that will accept a HF 20% off coupon and you’re golden.

I’d not get a benchtop press to save space, because it doesn’t.A floor model takes up about as much floor space as a 5 gallon bucket.

For benchtops, avoid anything with a 1/3HP motor, which is most, unless you spend as much as a floor press would cost.